A Legacy for Sale

This past week's Sunday Paper carried the cover story of Atlanta's most precious legacy going up for auction. Only months after the death of Corretta Scott King, Dexter and family have put the personal papers of Atlanta's most famous son on the auction block at Sotheby's in New York. In the 1990s, Mrs. King unsuccessfully sued Boston University in an effort to have returned thousands of documents her husband had deposited there for safekeeping in the last two years of his life.

The King family has attached a condition to the sale that the collection of papers will never be sold individually until "the death of the last to die of the four children of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr."

The group of papers includes more than 7,000 handwritten notes about everything from President Lincoln, to Ghandi, to interacting with everyday life. It also includes a telegram from Muhammed Ali he received while in jail and a letter from President Nixon he received while in the hospital after an attack.

Just yesterday it was announced that SunTrust Banks, urged on by Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin, agreed to provide a $32 million loan that will allow Morehouse College to retain title to the collection. Among the guarantors of the loan and donors are listed playwright and film director and fellow Atlian Tyler Perry, Turner Broadcasting System, Coca-Cola, and Home Depot. Others also pledged $1 million or more including Arkansas-based WalMart.

But I am left to question, why would his family sell his part of his legacy to the highest bidder, when you have his alma mater, Morehouse and the King Center right here in Atlanta??

Cocodorm/Flava Life owner in the news yet again...

Feds probe Miami gay adult video producer for fraud
Saturday, June 24, 2006



MIAMI — The owner of a Miami-based company that produces gay adult videos and lifestyle magazines is the target of a federal investigation for allegedly defrauding public schools out of millions in a scheme involving a nonprofit student organization. Flava Life, a gay entertainment magazine for black and Latino men, is owned by Phillip Bleicher. Another company he founded, the Student Leadership Network, is under federal investigation for allegedly defrauding schools out of millions. Bleicher allegedly cashed bogus checks after persuading school officials to sign up for his program, which was promoted as offering leadership programs for students, according to Harpreet Khera of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Bleicher adamantly denied any wrongdoing and said a competitor in the adult video business was spreading lies about him and his company. “The allegations against me are absolutely false,” he said. Bleicher also owns Cocostore.com, which produces gay black and Latino porn videos. Bleicher is also facing allegations that his adult video business paid models more to engage in unsafe sex after his operations were shut down by the health department in Chicago.

Remembering the 80s...

For some reason I woke up this morning thinking about summers of my childhood. Part of the summer I would spend in west Texas and some in the bayous of Louisiana. I can remember hot breakfasts every day... playing outside in the hot ass sun... etiquette lessons at Ms. Ann's house... crawfish boils... and music.

Regardless of what side of the family I was with music was always very important. I will never forget when my cousin Chris first showed me Whitney Houston's video on tv.

Oh and you can't forget Prince's 1999, Purple Rain, and my absolute favorite Under the Cherry Moon (is that on dvd yet??)

Michael was still considered to be sane and unstoppable!!

But TV was big too... I couldn't wait till Thursday nights to catch the Cosby Show

Ooooooooooh and you can't forget Eddie was at his best

And of course Grace Jones was killing it in a View to Kill

Dating In Atlanta...

My good girlfriend, Nicolle, was here visiting this past weekend from DC and of course she wanted an update on everything going on in the ATL... well after cluing her in on the job, the apartment, my bestfriend... the conversation went to dating in Atlanta.

After reading my good good friend Kool's page and the 200 dates he has had in the past 2 weeks, I decided to blog on dating in Atlanta.

I guess I will work backwards... I started talking to Scorpio weeks before moving to Atlanta. The conversation was always very platonic. I told him from the very beginning that I was interested in someone in Atlanta... and was trying to see if it would develop into a relationship or just a friendship. He was very respectful of that. Well after talking for over 2 months now on IM and on the phone and saying we should get together and hang out... well we finally did Monday. We hung out in Little 5 Points and had pizza (might I add the best calzone I have had in ages) then went walking up the very eclectic collection of shops that has everything from American Apparel to grunge stores. The conversation kept flowing so we decided to walk around the East Atlanta neighborhood as well... he lived nearby so the evening ended with us sitting around at his spot talking, laughing and watching tv till I noticed how late it was and decided to start my journey back up to the north side. In a cell convo while walking around, I heard him say he was on a date.... I was like wow ok didn't know that but cool. Very platonic nothing happened but I developed a new friend.

He called me the next morning and asked me if I wanted to check a movie out. After checking my quite empty calendar I said yes and last night we saw An Inconvenient Truth, the Al Gore movie about global warming. Finally someone inviting me the new to Atlanta guy out to do something or to hang out. He gets mad points for not being passive and choosing a movie that was thought provoking.

Then there is the Dominican... Kool brought him by my spot one night we were playing spades. He needed a hook up on a hotel room in Puerto Rico so we exchanged numbers and I told him to call me Monday and I'd handle it. Well that call led us to having lunch every day that week before his trip and a couple evening dinners and hanging out as well. Now he is only 24 which would normally be a turnoff when it comes to seriously dating someone but he seemed to be mature and about business. Well after his trip... the focus turned from me to his roommate and him feeling left out. The last straw for me was when I got back from my Cabin trip... i suggested we go to dinner or something... and he asks if his roommate could hang out as well. We are still cool and see each other frequently but he took a step back from number 1 position to just a contender.

So speaking of Cabin trip there is OoooNotSupposedtoHappen. Well I met this fool weeks before while playing volleyball in Piedmont. Well I couldn't stand his attitude and he was short... very much Kool's style not mine, now that I think of it but I digress... well during the trip to the cabin, me, him and another guy stayed up till 4am talking about everything. From that point on I realized he wasn't so bad. We have hung out twice since being back.. he is a basketball fan so we caught game 3 and 4 together. Nice people but only on the friendship level I think for now.

Then there is KravinATL... well I don't know what to really say about that. We talk sporadically and is still very special but I guess the lack of distance has changed alot. But definitely always a contender in my heart.

Like other ATL people who shall remain nameless I have met a few people recently... unlike that person there have been only a few dates and I am unsure of what if anything will come from it. Why are people so indecisive and passive. I need someone who is gonna speak up go for what they want... shit I am tired of being the one hunting prey. But I will say the life of a socialite can be hard work!!

20 Years Old.... Can we still "Call On Me"

Janet features Nelly on her first single, Call On Me, from her upcoming album 20 Years Old...

AOL Says Don't count her out. This laid-back and sexy jam is destined to put Ms. Jackson back on top.

Listen to 'Call on Me'

White Party 06 Atlanta

3 Parties... 3 Nights... One Cause

(Click Picture to see Larger)

For more information email rsvpwhiteparty@hotmail.com

White Attire Affair 2006 DC

(look at my brother-n-law matthew all the way on the left)

The Ummah Endowment Fund is proud to announce
live and in concert on the main stage at the 8th Annual White Attire Affair

World renowned recording artist!

RACHELLE FERRELL

&

America's Only Next Top Model

EVA PIGFORD

For More Information and Tickets visit WWW.UMMAHFUND.ORG

A Weekend Getaway...

Anyone that truly knows me, knows I am not the outdoors type. For me an adventure outdoors is maybe a outside shopping outlet. The only hunting I am doing is a parking space in the concrete jungle. Fishing for compliments... maybe.

Well this past Thursday, I tagged along with my bestfriend and some of his friends and friends of friends to the mountains of Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. His friend Bobby plans an annual weekend getaway to the mountains to celebrate his birthday with about 20 of his friends. This year 24 of us all got together in a luxury cabin overlooking nothing but trees, trees, and more trees. Now from what I have heard out of the 7 years they have been having this trip this is one of the best cabins they have actually been in. Three stories, 8 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, 2 jacuzzis, 2 pool tables, air hockey, and a swimming pool.

Thursday was definitely a chill day... I spent most of it trying to remember names and how this person is connected to Bobby and lounging around the cabin. Friday we went to Dollywood's water park, which was quite fun and I ended up a lil darker than before. Saturday and Sunday morning were spent lounging, swimming, drinking, partying, and eating. While I have never been in the company of so many people in one house at one time it was definitely a good weekend overall (was only annoyed once because we left Atlanta 2 hours later than we were supposed to).

I look forward to planning my own trip back up there in the near future with some of my own friends.

A Year Later...

I didn't realize until I was having a conversation with my friend Kool that it had been a year of blogging for me. To think this time last year I was returning to DC from San Juan with an amazing tan and new friends. In one year's time so much as changed men have come and gone... jobs have changed... but the biggest change was my relocation back to Atlanta.

I started blogging for two reasons my therapist said it would be healthy and after reading Valentino's blog I thought it would be interesting to say the least. I think that I have accomplished what I set out to 52 weeks ago and hope that I have the drive and inspiration to go on another 52. But from the experiences of Atlanta so far I am sure inspiration will not be the problem.

Check out a few of my favorite entries:

My First Entry

Katrina

My Favorite Things

Why Are You Still Single

Off to Georgia

Being a Black Man

The Washington Post (ooooh how I miss DC) is in the midst of a year-long series exploring what it means to be a black man in today's society. Several updates are coming this Sunday to the series so be sure to check it out often....

Being a Black Man

Say

Sooooo feeling this song right now... so I thought I would share.

Say - Method Man featuring Lauryn Hill

They got so much things to say right now....

They got so much things to say it

The List

Several years ago me and a friend made a list. This list started out as a class project of where we saw ourselves in 10 years. While creating that list we started talking about relationships and the respective men we were both dating at the time. She went on to ask me if you could create your ideal man... not Mr. D (at this time in my life I thought he was, so a lot of the list reflects that)... but your ideal man what 10 things would he be... she recently emailed me my list...

1. Must be comfortable in their own skin. White, Black, Brown or Tan.... Gay or Bisexual.... Muscular, Slim or Average... just comfortable being a man.

2. Educated... not always about degrees and prestigious universities.

3. Employed... not a job a career!! There is a difference.

4. Sex Appeal... hell I gotta want it. And appeal is more than how you look... it is what you make me think.

5. A connection with God... don't have to be on the deacon board but faith and belief is necessary.

6. Must have been hurt once... nothing like loving someone who has lost love before.

7. Aggressive and Out Going... I do not like overly passive people.. speak up for what the hell you want.

8. Wants to grow... and grow together.

9. Believes that romance is still alive.

10. A Sense of Humor... make me laugh when I don't want to but need to.


Almost 9 years later and not much has changed about this list... Thanks Alicia!!

Today, No Katie

Every since I was a freshman in college I started my days with Katie, Matt, Al and Ann... and now there is no more Katie. Today was the first morning I have woken up without her and she wasn't on assignment and she wasn't on vacation.

Her sincerity and chipper attitude reminded me of every one of my white female friends. Very personable and always asked the questions that I was thinking. I will never forget her on-air colonoscopy or her interview with the father and the brother of Columbine victims. Seeing her go through the death of her husband and sister, birth of her youngest daughter made here a lot more human than just a television personality. I remember last June while in NY, I was walking back to my hotel from the Lacoste store right up the street from NBC Studios when she and her sercurity walked right in front of me. In shock I screeched Katie, she turned and smiled, shook my hand and said hello before being whisked away.

Mornings will not be the same... but I guess neither will the Evening News...